Local Community Pop Up Shop!

As I've mentioned on previous blog posts it's an exciting time behind the scenes at Laura Felicity Design.  One project I can now reveal and spread the word about today!

A few months ago I saw a Facebook Page post from one of the local community pages I follow Love Barnet, who were promoting a Pop Up Shop they are working on based locally to me as part of a scheme to help rejuvenate our High Street.

Like many high streets in small towns based around the UK, Barnet used to be a brilliant place to go and spend money.  It's near very affluent areas, it had some fabulous shops; both independent and large chain names, and has had a lot of money invested into it over it's time.

However over the last few years it really has gone down hill due to the Recession.  We have a lot of unused properties now, which is to do with the extortionate rent companies have to pay; local businesses try to stay afloat, and if they can't they have to leave, even big names including Monsoon have had to up and leave due to the bills! It's awful and really unfair.
 ...so naturally in it's place Barnet's high street is dotted with cheap shops who rent the spaces for 6 months at a time, with tat to sell...it amazes me people go into these places and buy from!
We also have sooooo many Estate Agents, Opticians, Hairdressers, Card Shops, it really does get boring to see!

Anyway, back to the Pop Up Shop...the Facebook post I saw was seeking local creatives who may be able to help and be involved within this rejuvenating project.  Naturally I wanted to find out more, so I went along to promote the Laura Felicity Design business, and to see if I could get involved at all - even if it was simply to host a few workshops.

After going along to their first initial meeting I came away feeling really excited about this project, and as far as I'm aware it's the first of many to boost our local high street.  It really is what Barnet needs!

The shop itself used to be a Greggs, which now has relocated to a different part of the high street.  Being a bakers, the organisers really did have a lot on their plate trying to transform this store into a shop front people would want to walk into and buy a range of lifestyle products from.

 

With help from the local college (Barnet College) and volunteers, the shop has been stripped, gutted, a false chimney and brick wall put up and everywhere has had a new lick of paint.

...and here's the best part, areas of the shop have also been decorated with my wallpapers - both Dotty Bird and Pretty Flower are making an appearance.  This addition to the shop really has made a different to shop's transformation (I'm not being biased at all!).
What once was coloured in a bright blue and orange palette, is now starting to look like an uber chic lifestyle boutique.

 

 The Pop Up Shop still has a couple weeks before it's due to open.  The shop will feature local designers and creatives who are involved in homewares, wallpaper, furniture, upholstery, clothing, jewellery and cards, plus has the idea to involve workshops for the local community to get involved in.

I really am happy I took the initiative to be involved in this project.  I feel very strongly about how the high streets of the UK are not getting any better.  Seeing the development of this particular shop over the past couple of months has shown me it really is the community and their dedication who need to pitch in and make the change, otherwise it won't happen and no one will do it for us!

 

It's also great for the Laura Felicity Design business to get to know other local businesses and people - it's a great form of Networking, as now I am being advertised around my local high street as a local designer...People feel more of a connection to that, plus everyone gets to see my work up on the walls as they walk passed the shop...a perfect selling aspect.

So, stay tuned for the next stage of this great Pop Up Shop venture...and who knows where it will lead...a Laura Felicity Design shop perhaps ;-) we'll see!!

Best Wishes,

L x
Laura Felicity Design

Stop PRESS!

Hello! And welcome back to the Tuesday blog!
After a lovely break away I'm back and working into my first week of catch up.

Whilst I'm spending my time the rest of this month behind the scenes of website building and workshop promotions, I've had a few press features which have come out over the last couple of months that I wanted to share;
Including a wonderful blog feature from Decorcafe.  This was published last month after I was invited over to one of their network evenings to present to the members about myself and my business.
Have a read of the article here.

Previous to this article, Laura Felicity Design has also been featured on another blog linked to the Decorcafe and their March 'Decorfest' event, which was written by Little Miss Homes.
Read the article here.


I've also had this lovely article feature from Crafts Beautiful Magazine, which is out now and gives an insight behind the scenes of the Laura Felicity Design business.  The issue is out now, make sure you grab a copy!

  

Plus earlier this year the soon to be released Geo wallpaper was featured in Mix Magazine!

I always love to have a press feature in either a blog or magazine.  If you'd like to feature Laura Felicity Design in your design articles, I'd love to hear from you, please get in touch.

Or if you've seen a Laura a Felicity Design product featured somewhere, please let me know, as I love keeping these articles!

Why not read more about my Kids Birthday Parties and Hen Party workshops after today's blog by clicking on the links.  I also run Team Building Corporate Workshops, and would love to give you further information about these, please get in touch.

Best Wishes,

L x
Laura Felicity Design

Dotty Bird Limited Edition Cushion Range

Great news! At the beginning of June I gained a new local stockist!
But what's even better is the products that are in stock are a little different from the usual Laura Felicity Design range you can purchase elsewhere online and in boutiques!

I approached Cosi Homewares, based in Muswell Hill back in April 2014 to see whether they would be like to be one of Laura Felicity Design's stockists.

Those of you who haven't been over to this shop, it's a must!  Full of bright colours and unique designers, I really hoped my collection would fit in nicely with the rest of the boutique.

To cut a long story short, being fond of the Dotty Bird design, but admitting the colour range wasn't quite right for them, I offered to do Limited Edition colourways especially for Cosi Homewares to suit the branding of the shop!
Plus this would give me an excuse to see Dotty Bird in a different light!

Two months on, and sample trial after sample trial, I finally delivered the limited Edition batch to the Cosi Homeware boutique at the beginning of June!
...and here they are...

These cushions have been screen printed by hand (by yours truly of course) on 100% white linen with three colour options;
Teal and Apple Green,
Magenta and Chocolate Brown
Mustard and Plum Purple
100% linen reverse in charcoal grey with an envelope opening and feather filled inner pad finishes off the three colour way fronts of the cushion nicely. 

These cushions are retailing at Cosi Homewares for £49.00, and are available to purchase NOW!

They will be also be for sale on my website in September...however if you are keen to have one NOW via Laura Felicity Design, I am happy to sell them at the same retail price as Cosi! Simply get in touch!

I would also love to know your thoughts on these colour ways!

Best Wishes,

Laura Felicity Design

Kids Screen Print Birthday Party Workshop.

Following on from my Hen Party Workshop I wrote about a couple of weeks ago, I wanted to also tell you about the 10 year old's Birthday Party I was invited to host.

Based at the Craft House in Richmond, which is run by the Artyard Handmade, I taught 10 kids the basics of stencil screen printing, enabling them to take away a tote bag and art print each.

Each child designed their block design by either tracing already found images I supplied, from visuals around the workshop, or through their own imagination! I really was amazed with the designs they came up with!

It was surprisingly great fun for me to host this type of workshop, as it was the first time I have taught children...and didn't really know what I was going to be walking in to.
But I loved it, and I now am looking to host more of these Kids Birthday Party workshops via the Artyard Handmade in the months to come.

Interested in knowing more information about the Kids Workshops, or any other workshops I host? Please get in touch, I would love to hear from you!

For now, here are some images I was able to take in the two hour class to show you what a talented bunch of girls I had on the creative workshop!

Best Wishes,

Laura Felicity Design

Hen Party Workshop!

As you may have seen on my Social Media sites last week, the previous weekend I hosted my first Hen Party Lino Print Workshop for 20 ladies who were after something a little creative and different to do for a get together and celebrate the Bride To Be.

 

With a Vintage Tea Party setting, the hired hall was decorated with bunting, and some yummy treats to nibble on along with plenty of tea to drink were provided.  It was such a lovely afternoon and right up the Hen's street.

 

The Hen Party ended up creating their lino stamps focusing on the Hen, her loves, and the wedding.  A range of pastel ink colours were available and the Hen Party printed onto Rosettes, Bunting for the Hen to keep, (and possibly display/decorate at the wedding!) and a Hen Book, where everyone printed into and wrote a few works of Luck to the beautiful Bride To Be!

  

The Hen Party was a great success and have since had a lovely 'Thank You' card from the organiser of the party, and a wonderful testimonial from the Hen;

'Laura Felicity Design did a truly amazing job leading a lino printing workshop for my hen party in June. Laura's excellent preparation for our group of 20 ladies meant everyone felt confident and comfortable to play around with ideas and really enjoy the unique experience on offer. Her professional knowledge, creative flair and lovely demeanour meant so many brilliant designs were created and made their way onto bunting, rosettes and even a gorgeous hen party book where guests could stamp and leave messages- the perfect finishing touch to the day. I couldn't recommend Laura and the workshop highly enough and would love to do another one myself! Sending the biggest possible thank you to Laura for all her hard work and organisation.'

Thank you to Jenny and her wonderful friends for giving me such a warm welcome and great feedback on the workshop.
(Thank you to Jenny's friend Kate for taking and providing me with these great photos!)

This is the start of some very creative Hen Parties...I can feel it!

If you'd like further information on the Hen Party workshops Laura Felicity Design can provide, please do get in touch!

Behind The Scenes, part 2...

As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago there has been a lot going on behind the scenes this year for Laura Felicity Design that has been keeping me busy.

Along with the development of the brand happening, I've recently been working on a few wallpaper commissions; projects which are all shapes and sizes compiled of my designs in the wallpaper collection, as well as bespoke patterns, enabling me to be even more creative than usual.

Whilst I was completing one wallpaper commission a couple of weeks ago, I took a few images of the space I screen print in, which I know always interests people and I wanted to share them with you today!

As you can see, it's a very hands on way to screen print wallpaper, but it is a truly unique way to work.

The commission featured is a combination of the Pretty Flower retail pattern (£12.50 per meter legnth), and it's bespoke feature 'Glitter & Pearl' (£80.00 per meter length), with a bespoke colour palette.

Let me know what you think!

 

Behind The scenes...

Hello all,

I've been busy behind the scenes lately at LF Design HQ, with exciting ventures taking shape.

Along with a new logo, branding and website being designed, my product images are also getting a revamp!

Over the past week I've been working with the very talented White Gold Images on my Dotty Bird homeware range, as well as the wallpaper collection, including the two new (yet to be released) designs, Nest Egg and Geo!

I'm really excited to see the images all edited and ready to show you all, but for now here are some sneak peek images I took behind the scenes whilst we were being creative!